Experiments were performed to study the mechanism of immunosuppression induced by the extract of Licorice Root (Lx). In the primary immune response, Lx was found to be immunosuppressive when given successively for 13 days starting from 3 days before inoculation of antigen-bacterial α-amylase (BαA). It was found that Lx given before immunization was strongly suppressive for the antibody response. The effect of Lx on the secondary immune response was examined using cell transfer technique. Lx administered to recipient mice revealed no suppressive effect on the antibody response of the primed cells. These results suggested that Lx did not affect lymphoid cells already committed to immune response. The effect of Lx on the memory cell production was also studied using cell transfer technique. The spleen and lymph node cells from the donor mice which had been treated with Lx for 13 days around primary immunization showed much less antibody response as compared with those from untreated control donors. This result indicated that Lx strongly suppressed the production of memory cells. The effect of Lx on the macrophage was studied using cell transfer of macrophage-lymphocyte mixture. Macrophages from either Lx treated or saline treated mice were cultured with BαA-anti BαA complexes, and cells were mixed with normal spleen cells and transferrred into X-irradiated mice. When Lx treated macrophages were added to normal spleen cells, the response to BαA was significantly less than the response of normal macrophage-normal spleen cell system. From these results, it seems likely that the immunosuppression by Lx occurs at the stage of antigen processing by macrophage.

View full abstract

A comparative histopathological study on the organ specificity of experimental allergic thyroiditis (EAT) in guinea pigs produced by a single injection of homologous thyroid extract in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) has been made. The controls consisted of the following three groups; the first group received a single injection of homologous nervous tissue in CFA (Group EAE^*); the second two injections of homologous adrenal tissue in CFA (Group EAA^<**>); and the third a single injection of saline in CFA (Group CFA). Comparison between the thyroiditic and the control groups was done concerning the incidence, severity and nature of inflammatory changes occurring in the thyroid and other several parenchymatous organs. There was a marked increase in incidence and severity of the inflammatory changes of the thyroid in Group EAT as compared with all the control groups. The thyroid lesions in Group EAT were characterized by: (1) a diffused character of interstitial cellular infiltrates, especially around the inter lobular venules, (2) plemorphism in the infiltrating cell types, being composed of lymphocytes, histiocytes, monocytes, macrophages, plasma cells, large basophilic blastoid cells, granulocytes, etc., (3) invasion and disruption of the thyroid follicles chiefly mononuclear cells, and (4) an associated glandular hyperplasia, especially formation of cords and nests of epithelial cell without readily recognizable lumen. On the contrary, the thyroid changes in the controls were provided by: (1) a minute focal interstitial infiltrate, particularly a small, circumscribed perivascular cuff, (2) relative monotonity in the infiltrating cell types, (3) a lack of the'invasive'aciner changes, and (4) minimal or no evidence of glandular hyperplasia. On the other hand, the'background'lesions, i.e. disseminated lesions found in organs other than each target organ in Groups EAT, EAE, and EAA, as well as generalized lesions in Group CFA, were equally minute, focal mononuclear infiltrates and/or microgranulomas, particularly around the venules and capillaries, except for the pulmonary lesions. No significant differences in the intensity and character of the'background'lesions were recognizable among each group. It seems reasonable to conclude from these evidences that (1) the'background'lesions are not due to the presence of tissue antigens in the injected materials, but should be regarded as a nonspecific reaction to the injected adjuvant, and (2) the thyroid pictures in Group EAT may be interpreted largely as the results of organ-specific antigen stimulation.

View full abstract

Organ specificity of experimental allergic thyroiditis (EAT) was studied in Hartley guinea pigs following a single injection of homologous crude thyroid extract in CFA during 4 to 6 weeks postsensitization. Either cellular or serological cross-reaction tests were examined between homologous thyroid extract and other organ extracts by means of skin test, macrophage migration inhibition test, passive hemagglutination and its inhibition test, and Ouchterlony plate technique. The following results were obtained. 1. In skin test, EAT guinea pigs reacted only with homologous thyroid extract exibiting delayedtype reactivity and not cross-reacted with other organ extracts including liver, kidney, adrenal, brain, heart and testis. 2. Peritoneal exudate cells obtained from EAT animals showed migration inhibition only by addition of homologous thyroid extract, but did not by other organ extracts including liver, kidney, adrenal and brain. 3. Antisera obtained from EAT guinea pigs were specifically directed against homologous thyroid extract and did not react with the extracts of other organs examined. Rabbit anti-guinea pig thyroid antisera showed one clear precipitin line against guinea pig thyroid extract and not cross-reacted with other organ extracts.

View full abstract

In order to determine the antibody activity to mites, the mite antigen was labelled with radioactive iodine. In the course of the studies, the precipitating antibodies were detected in the sera of allergic patients. The results were presented in this paper. The mite antigen extracted from cultured mites (Dermatophagoides farinae) was labelled with ^<125>I. Sera from patients allergic to mite and house dust were examined in double gel diffusion test using this labelled antigen. The positive reaction was observed in 16 of 37 patients. No reaction was observed in healthy individuals so far as the author examined. The intensity of the precipitating line did not correlate to the titer of IgE antibodies determined by RAST. Radioimmunoelectrophoresis was carried out with these sera and labelled mite antigen. IgG antibodies were detected in these sera. IgE antibodies were also detected in these sera by radioimmunodiffusion. From these results antibodies which belong to these class of immunoglobulins seem to be related to the precipitation reaction. Although IgA and IgM antibodies were not detected with these technique so far as the author examined, presence of these antibodies can not be denied, because the sensitivity of these techniques might be still low for the detection. For the exact determination of antibody activity which belongs to each class of immunoglobulin, the double antibody method should be applied.

View full abstract

In order to investigate the role of the histamine in the tissue on the anaphylactic contraction, histamine fluorescence method and Magnus method were used. The guinea pig taenia coli was sensitized with anti-egg albumin rabbit serum in vitro and following results were obtained. 1. Yellow fluorochrome which is formed between histamine and ο-phthalaldehyde was observed on mucosa and submucosa in ileum as well as on the mesentery mast cells and the cells isolated from abdominal cavity. But, this fluorochrome was not observed on the taenia coli at all. 2. Histamine content in taenia coli 0.89 ± 0.15 μg per 0.5 g. 3. The anaphylactic contraction on the taenia coli which have been incubated with histamine liberators, such as compound 48/80, sinomenine and polymyxin B were almost the same as those of the taenia coli without any treatment. 4. Strength of the anaphylactic contraction of the taenia coli which had already sensitized by antiserum 2 times was also the same as that of the newly prepared taenia coli. 5. The taenia coli contained 2.5 × 10^<-9> g of histamine after primary anaphylactic reaction and after the incubation with histamnine liberators, but the taenia coli treated with 2.5 × 10^<-9> g of histamine was not contracted. 6. From these results, it was suggested that the presence of histamine in the tissue and mast cells in the taenia coli were not essential for the appearance of the anaphylactic contraction in guinea pig taenia coli.

View full abstract

In 1970, Nakamura, One of the authors, previously reported a case with the occupational buckwheat allergose seen in a cook of buckwheat noodle service shop, as the first and valuable case of great interest in Japan. And the existence of the additional 9 cases has been assured on the occasion of the national wide scale investigation of the buckwheat allergose by sending out questionaires. This time, the detailed reinvestigation on these cases has been carried out in cooperation with our associates, and the results of this investigation are stated here: 1) The occupational classification developing the occupational buckwheat allergose is as follows: cooks and shopmates of buckwheat noodle service shops, buckwheat noodle makers, sellers of buckwheat flour, and their families especially residing unseparated from the workshop. 2) From the clinical histories and the results of various kinds of allergical examination, the occupational buckwheat allergose is considered to be the model of type I allergy (i.e. immediate type allergy) proposed by Coombs and Gell, and has the same distinguishing traits of general buckwheat allergose as the hypersensitive manifestation develops both when the allergen substance invades into the body through mouth and when through air way. 3) From the allergical point of view the authors advocate some tentative plans on the guidance to the workers handling buckwheat flour.

View full abstract